Catherine stood there with her arms tucked in and her shoulders shrugged up. She gave Jack a smile. He returned her smile.
“Well, Cath, I wonder if our dealings with the unearthly beings are behind us.” His eyes were on the shoreline. “And I wonder if there’s a big green creature on the shoreline waving us goodbye.”
Catherine looked in the direction of the shoreline. “It must be scary seeing those things but you know what’s even scarier? We’re surrounded by those unearthly beings and they’re listening and watching us all the time. Even right now.”
Jack didn’t quite know how to respond. Churchie could see that world. “I think we might sign Churchie up, get him on our team.”
“Good move, Jack. Maybe we could call our team the ghostbusters.”
“Not sure how original that is. Might have to come up with something different.”
“God’s Squad?” Catherine asked.
“Nope. Already taken. Christian Motorcycle Club.”
“Yep. Just remembered.”
“You a member?” Jack asked, meaning the question to be tongue in cheek.
“Nope, but I’m a Christian.”
“Might get you to explain that to me one day.”
“Will do.”
He saw it in her eyes. So Catherine had found God. Jack had noticed the change in her, and recent events made it even more noticeable. He just couldn’t quite put his finger on it, what finding God was, or even what a Christian was. It puzzled him. Was God hiding somewhere, playing hide and seek? The key was knowing whether you’re lost or just playing a game. Jack knew neither.
They were cruising parallel with the island now, and he could see families were amusing themselves on the shoreline. Parents resting, reading, eating, drinking, and acting as lifeguards over their children who were only dipping their feet in the near wintery bay water. One boy waved at the police barge.
The boy was about Johnny’s age. Jack loved Erica and Johnny, and looked forward to having some days off and spending more time with them. He’d put enough hours into this case but that was the nature of the job. He needed to think about that.
<°)))><
A rush of cold air came in through the open door. Ruby closed it.
“It’s a bit nippy up there.”
“Imagine it would be,” Jack said.
“You still doing okay?” Catherine asked.
“Yep. It’s all behind me. At least, I think it is.”
“It is, Ruby, except for the court proceedings. We’ll do what we can to keep your involvement to a minimum, but you will have to testify.”
“It may take a few years, Ruby, for the committal hearing and then the trial,” Catherine said. “But Mr Toby Watts will be behind layers of razor-sharp fences during that time, and forever after the trial. We’ll have to wait and see with Gill Watts, to determine whether he was an accomplice, but he’ll also be out of harm’s way.”
Ruby nodded and smiled. “Well done, team.” She gave them both a high five. “Sorry, don’t mean to be over the top but I feel good, as though something’s been released from within.”
Jack turned his attention to the deep waters ahead of them. Rulers of the darkness. Who are you? Where are you? Would his world ever be the same again?
<°)))><
A large green frog-like creature sat on the front fence of Churchie’s place.
Churchie walked up to it. Its skin was scaly and semi-transparent, shimmering in the slight breeze. He stared into its beady eyes.
“You lost, mate? You’re seeking rest, but not finding it. There’s nothing for you here. You’re a defeated foe, so be gone with you.”
The creature tilted its head, hesitated, and departed. He turned back to look at Churchie at regular intervals—lost and confused.
Churchie watched the creature drift down the road. It stopped outside a house. Gill Watts’s house. He said a silent prayer—the demon would be contemplating a return to that house, and Gill didn’t have the protection he needed. The house would be empty, swept clean and in order, it was ready for re-habitation. Unless Gill understood what happened and had sought refuge with the Almighty, the demons could return. Would return.
Other demons came up beside the hovering spirit, smaller in size and in an excited state.
The larger creature looked back at Churchie, perplexed and adrift. A sadness touched Churchie but it was the creature’s choice. Its entry to Watts’s house was temporarily blocked by an invisible wall brought about by prayer and the Holy Spirit. Disgruntled, the creature continued on its way. The tiny allies hovered, confused, then turned and followed. Gill Watts was safe, for now.
64 – Supernatural mystery
IT WAS JACK’S FIRST SEEKING STEP into the mysteries of church. A step of faith? He wasn’t sure but he was now willing to drop his guard and expose himself to the elements—whatever they were.
Churchie had decided to catch up with his good friend, Pastor Peter Thomas, and invited Ruby and Jack to come along to an evening service. Invites flowed down to Zoe, Shoana, and Catherine.
An energy surrounded him as he entered the Church. A different type of energy. Something he could embrace and ride with. Like-minded people with loving, caring thoughts under the same roof. Over five hundred of them. Soothing acoustic music. Spirits flowing. Contagious.
One big family. Exchanging awkward hugs and handshakes as they gathered together to take their seats in the middle of the congregation. Erica stood beside him, and Jack could see Johnny down near the front with a group of friends. Baseball caps worn straight and backwards, brimmed hats like those worn by the Hollywood detectives of old, and hats worn like a bucket thrown over the head. Young fashionable people. Jack could sense their energy. Sensed their belongingness.
Jack felt a peace he’d never experienced before. It brought tears to his eyes. Erica squeezed his hand. He watched the people in worship and he listened to the message.
